New Delhi: Nearly seven in every 10 school-going children across the country missed school or routine activities because of extreme heat from May to June this year, according to a new report.
The report, based on an assessment conducted by child rights NGO CRY, titled “Feeling the Heat: Children’s Voices on Heat, Well-Being and Learning in India”, gathered responses from 3,096 school-going children aged 10-17 years across 27 states and Union Territories.
“88 per cent of children felt this year’s summer was hotter than previous years. Nearly 68 per cent reported missing school or routine activities due to heat-related distress, while 76 per cent said the heat negatively affected their ability to focus on studies.
“Around 47 per cent identified the afternoon as the most difficult part of the day, and more than 45 per cent said school hours were particularly uncomfortable, underscoring the challenges children face while learning in increasingly hotter conditions,” the report said.
India witnessed repeated heatwave conditions during the summer of 2026, with temperatures crossing 45 degrees Celsius in several states. Schools in many regions revised their timings, curtailed outdoor activities and, in some places, temporarily suspended classes.
According to the Annual Climate Statement 2025 of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), 2024 was India’s warmest year on record since 1901, while the decade 2016–2025 was the warmest ever recorded, with 10 of the 15 warmest years occurring during this period.
The assessment also flagged the growing health burden of extreme heat. Nearly 63 per cent of children reported experiencing dehydration, 51 per cent suffered headaches, and 44 per cent experienced extreme fatigue during periods of intense heat. Heat-related challenges extended beyond schools into children’s homes.
More than half (53 per cent) of the respondents reported frequent power interruptions or overheated living spaces, while nearly three in 10 experienced water shortages, further compounding their discomfort and affecting their daily routines.
The findings also revealed that the impact of extreme heat is not experienced equally. Around 71 per cent of children from families depending on daily-wage or manual labour reported severe heat-related distress, compared to 46 per cent of children from other households, highlighting how climate-related risks disproportionately affect children from economically vulnerable communities.
A 17-year-old girl from Jharkhand said, “On a particularly hot day, I found it difficult to concentrate at school because the temperature was extremely high. The classroom felt warm and uncomfortable, and I became tired more quickly than usual. During lessons, it was hard to focus on what the teacher was explaining, and I felt thirsty.”
The assessment found that children are not only experiencing the effects of rising temperatures themselves but are also acutely aware of how extreme heat is affecting their parents and caregivers.
Nearly 59 per cent said heat had made work more difficult for their parents, while 58 per cent noticed changes in their parents’ mood or behaviour. Another 43 per cent reported increased stress or irritability at home, suggesting that the effects of extreme heat extend well beyond physical discomfort and into family life.
“While temperature records tell us how hot it is becoming, children tell us what that heat is impacting their lives – how it affects their learning, health, and overall well-being. It is also important to note that children are not only speaking about themselves.
“They are telling us about the pressures they see their parents facing, the struggles within their homes, and the simple changes they believe would make life safer during extreme heat. These are immensely valuable insights that policymakers should pay close attention to while strengthening Heat Action Plans and climate adaptation strategies,” said Puja Marwaha, CEO of CRY.
